Buckwheat tastes great. This didn’t used to be a secret, as buckwheat pancakes were a southern staple. But, somehow it all got lost to us. So, buckwheat tastes great… even though it’s maybe the best source of natural magnesium out there. One cup of buckwheat gives you about a third of your magnesium needs for the day. It also gives you as much protein as eggs….but actually reduces your cholesterol and blood sugar levels! A study published in a study published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology that covered 16 years and 69,000 women demonstrated a 13% to 17% reduction in gallstones. Another study, in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry reported in success in controlling diabetes through increased buckwheat consumption. Heart and colon conditions have also been known to respond favorably to buckwheat’s goodness.

Moreover, buckwheat is not technically a cereal grain. It’s a fruit seed. That means it can be eaten by people who cannot tolerate grain or gluten foods.

So why isn’t the whole world raving about this food? Well, in Japan (where buckwheat is called soba), this is nothing new. There is delicious buckwheat noodle soup, cold buckwheat noodle salads (zarusoba), fried buckwheat noodles (yakisoba) and many other variations – all of them delicious.

You can use buckwheat flour to make your pasta at home, or buy already prepared buckwheat noodles at the shop. Buck wheat grains can be added to soups for a hearty flavor, used in place of oatmeal, added to whole wheat to make fantastic bread, or used to make muffins and pancakes. It is also often added to rice to give it extra flavor, texture and color.

And of course, you can fry up the noodles yakisoba style, which means throwing in all your favorite stuff and making a very filling meal.

However you do it, once you start to add buckwheat to your diet, you won’t want to stop. And your body will thank you.